Monday, December 31, 2018

News

EL PASO, Texas – The Sun Bowl Association and Hyundai of El Paso have announced that Las Cruces police officer turned country singer, Frank Ray, is scheduled to perform during halftime of the 2017 Hyundai Sun Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas.

Frank Ray, from Las Cruces, N.M. will perform at halftime of the match-up between Arizona State and NC State. He was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine in an article titled “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: December 2017.”

“It’s great to have another regional up-and-coming star from the Borderland region,” said Executive Director of the Hyundai Sun Bowl Bernie Olivas. “Mr. Ray also has a great story as he was a police officer in Las Cruces, N.M.”

The Hyundai Sun Bowl is featuring a Borderland-halftime performer for the second year in a row after Elia Esparza and Khaliya Kimberlie performed in 2016. In 2014 Lone Star performed in front of more than 47,000 fans. The Andress High School Band, out of El Paso, teamed-up with the UCLA and Virginia Tech bands, to put on a show in 2013, as Three Dog Night performed at the 2013 Fan Fiesta.

Lee Bryce worked the crowd of about 48,000 fans in 2012 and the Sun Bowl Association is expecting at least that many fans to support Frank Ray this year. Other notable halftime performances include the Village People in 2008 and Rhianna in 2006.

Ray released his first solo EP Different Kind of Country earlier this year. A Hispanic-American, Ray sings about the Hispanic experience in the United States. The lead single from his EP “Every Time You Run” is currently 20th on the Texas Regional Radio Report.

“It’s an absolute honor to get to end the year in front of such a massive crowd. It gives me an opportunity to represent my community but also serves as a symbol of continued success for my team and my family," said Frank Ray. “I’m humbled to have been given the opportunity by the great representatives of the Sun Bowl.”

Ray plays shows from Albuquerque, N.M. to Austin, Texas. He has appeared in both El Paso and Las Cruces as well.

The 2017 Hyundai Sun Bowl game will be played Friday, Dec. 29, at 1 p.m. MT (3 p.m. ET) at Sun Bowl Stadium.

The 2017 game will mark the 84th anniversary of the Sun Bowl game and the 50th consecutive broadcast on CBS. This year’s game features No. 24 NC State out of the ACC and Arizona State from the Pac-12. Tickets are available by calling the Sun Bowl Association office at 915-533-4416.